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Do you find classical music long and boring? One conductor's tips for how to listen

Part 3 of the TED Radio Hour episode How we experience time.

A 30-minute symphony can drag on if you don't know what to listen for. Music director Robert Franz shares four tips to help you feel engrossed in the drama and emotion of classical music.

About Robert Franz

Robert Franz has been the music director the Windsor Symphony Orchestra since 2013. Prior to that, Franz served at the Boise Baroque Orchestra and the Mansfield Symphony. As co-founder and conductor of the Idaho Orchestra Institute, Franz takes young musicians on an exploration of major orchestral repertoire.

This segment of the TED Radio Hour was produced by Kai McNamee and edited by Sanaz Meshkinpour. You can follow us on Facebook and email us at [email protected].

Web Resources

Related TED Topic: How music affects us

Related TED Talk: Music and emotion through time

Related TED Talk: The transformative power of classical music

Related NPR Links

TED Radio Hour: Soundtracks of our lives

From the Top: Music and the brain

NPR: These scientists explain the power of music to spark awe

Copyright 2025 NPR

Manoush Zomorodi
Manoush Zomorodi is the host of TED Radio Hour. She is a journalist, podcaster and media entrepreneur, and her work reflects her passion for investigating how technology and business are transforming humanity.
Kai McNamee
[Copyright 2024 NPR]
Sanaz Meshkinpour
[Copyright 2024 NPR]